1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a port cover opening/closing device for a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a port cover opening/closing device for a portable terminal, which is configured to open/close a plurality of port covers using a single cover dummy.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the term “portable terminal” refers to an electronic apparatus carried by a user to perform wireless communication. Conventional portable terminals may be classified into various types according to their appearance. For example, conventional portable terminals may be classified as bar-type portable terminals, flip-type portable terminals, and folder-type portable terminals. The bar-type portable terminal has a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable terminal has a flip which is pivotably mounted to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge device. The folder-type portable terminal has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge device to allow the folder to be rotated in order to be folded towards or unfolded away from the housing.
Further, portable terminals may be classified into neck wearable type terminals and wrist wearable type terminals according to the position in which a user carries the communication apparatus. The neck wearable type terminal is worn by a user around the neck using a string or lanyard, while the wrist wearable type terminal is worn by a user around the wrist.
Additionally, portable terminals may be further classified as rotation-type terminals and sliding-type terminals based upon the manner in which the portable terminals are opened or closed. In the rotation-type portable terminals, two housings are coupled to each other to allow one housing to rotate open or closed relative to the other while facing each other. In the sliding-type portable terminals, two housings are coupled to each other to allow one housing to slide along a direction to open or close the other housing. These variously classified portable terminals can be easily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.
The portable terminal has ports for connection with other information devices such as Personal Computers (PCs) or peripheral devices. For example, the ports may be interface connectors for connection with Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports of PCs, travel chargers, or the like, or earphone plug for connection with earphones. Those ports are provided in the bottom face or side face of the terminal and are protected by rubber covers.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a jack into which an earphone plug 5 is inserted is provided in the top face or side face of a portable terminal 1. When the earphone plug 5 is not inserted into the jack, a folding-type port cover 2 is provided to prevent foreign substances from entering the insider of a main body 1.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conventional port cover 2 is made of urethane rubber and has a stopper 2a so as not to be separated from the main body 1 after being inserted into a mounting groove 3 of the main body 1. The port cover 2 also has a cylindrical portion 2b to close the inside of the main body 1 by being inserted into a through hole 4 formed in the main body 1, and a protrusion 2c that can be opened/closed upwardly and downwardly. In a jack 6a provided in a main board 6, an opening 6b is formed to be engaged with the earphone jack 5.
Moreover, the port cover 2 also has a hinge unit 2d having tension in order to allow its rotation.
The port cover 2 is opened/closed along the hinge unit 2d. Thus, the port cover 2 is inserted into the through hole 4 of the main body 1 in the non-used state of an earphone and the earphone jack 5 is combined with the jack 6a of the main board 6 and the port cover 2 is opened in the used state of the earphone.
However, the conventional folding-type port cover is made of rubber, and the rubber cover cannot have the same texture as that of a surrounding mold because it is made of a material different from the mold. Since most rubber covers are opened/closed by a user's nail, opening/closing operations may not be easy. Moreover, the cover may be damaged or broken by user's opening/closing operations, and the aesthetic appearance of the portable terminal is diminished when the cover is opened.
Furthermore, when an accessory like a charging cradle is mounted, it obstructs or interferes with the cover of the portable terminal, resulting in difficulty in opening/closing of the cover.
A port cover for a portable wireless terminal disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/923,401 (U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2005/0049016) is of a sliding type that is opened/closed in a sliding manner, and is assigned to the assignee of the present application.
A conventional sliding-type port cover opening/closing device includes a cover housing, a sliding cover for opening/closing a portion of the cover housing, a cover dummy positioned parallel with the sliding cover, and an elastic member.
However, when a removable memory and an earphone are arranged for the portable terminal, two port cover opening/closing devices are required, increasing an area occupied by a port cover and thus obstructing miniaturization and slimness of the portable terminal. Moreover, an increase in the number of parts makes the assembly process of the port cover difficult, raising the manufacturing cost of the port cover.